Kenya Ramps Up Efforts to Meet EU Deforestation Deadline

Strategic Insights -

The Agriculture and Food Authority is racing against time to geomap all land under coffee in the country to fulfill the European Union's Deforestation Regulations. The exercise is crucial to avoid losing the EU market, where coffee and other crops linked to deforestation are a major concern. The EU law requires all agricultural products entering the market to be traceable and produced on land that has not undergone deforestation since 2020. As of now, about 30% of the land under coffee has been geomapped, covering 32,688 hectares in 16 counties.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Agriculture and Food Authority is geomapping 30% of the land under coffee, covering 32,688 hectares in 16 counties, as part of efforts to meet the EU Deforestation Regulations deadline.
  • The EU law requires all agricultural products entering the market to be traceable and produced on land that has not undergone deforestation since 2020.
  • The deadline for compliance was initially set for December 2024 but was extended to December 31, 2023, to allow more time for compliance.
  • The Agriculture and Food Authority has formed teams under the EUDR Data Committee to coordinate the exercise, which include the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Space Agency, Directorate of Remote Survey and Remote Sensing, and the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organisation.
  • The exercise is expected to be concluded in two months, after which the EU will review the progress.
  • The EU Deforestation Regulations target commodities like cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, and wood, and apply to traders who place relevant commodities on the EU market or export them from the EU.
  • The law aims to prevent deforestation and promote sustainable agriculture practices.

Statistics:

  • 32,688 hectares (80,773 acres) of coffee land have been geomapped
  • 109,384 hectares (270,293 acres) of coffee land are under cultivation in 16 counties
  • The deadline for compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulations is December 31, 2023
  • The EU law requires all agricultural products entering the market to be produced on land that has not undergone deforestation since 2020
  • 30% of the land under coffee has been mapped so far

Sources:

  • The Agriculture and Food Authority
  • European Union Deforestation Regulations